M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Building of the Temple
6 (A)Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he [a]began to build the house of the Lord. 2 As for the house which King Solomon built for the Lord, its length was sixty [b]cubits and its width twenty cubits and its height thirty cubits. 3 The porch in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits [c]in length, [d]corresponding to the width of the house, and its [e]depth along the front of the house was ten cubits. 4 Also for the house (B)he made windows with artistic frames. 5 (C)Against the wall of the house he built stories encompassing the walls of the house around both the nave and the (D)inner sanctuary; thus he made (E)side chambers all around. 6 The lowest story was five cubits wide, and the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide; for on the outside he [f]made offsets in the wall of the house all around in order that the beams would not [g]be inserted in the walls of the house.
7 (F)The house, while it was being built, was built of stone [h]prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built.
8 The doorway for the [i]lowest side chamber was on the right side of the house; and they would go up by winding stairs to the middle story, and from the middle to the third. 9 So (G)he built the house and finished it; and he covered the house with beams and [j]planks of cedar. 10 He also built the stories against the whole house, each five [k]cubits high; and they [l]were fastened to the house with timbers of cedar.
11 Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon saying, 12 “Concerning this house which you are building, (H)if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father. 13 (I)I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and (J)will not forsake My people Israel.”
14 (K)So Solomon built the house and finished it. 15 Then he (L)built the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar; from the floor of the house to the [m]ceiling he overlaid the walls on the inside with wood, and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of cypress. 16 (M)He built twenty cubits on the rear part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the [n]ceiling; he built them for it on the inside as an inner sanctuary, even as (N)the most holy place. 17 The house, that is, the nave in front of the inner sanctuary, was forty [o]cubits long. 18 There was cedar on the house within, carved in the shape of (O)gourds and open flowers; all was cedar, there was no stone seen. 19 Then he prepared an inner sanctuary within the house in order to place there the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 20 [p]The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in width, and twenty cubits in height, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid the altar with cedar. 21 So Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold. And he drew chains of gold across the front of the inner sanctuary, and he overlaid it with gold. 22 He overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also (P)the whole altar which was by the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.
23 (Q)Also in the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. 24 Five cubits was the one wing of the cherub and five cubits the other wing of the cherub; from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing were ten cubits. 25 The other cherub was ten cubits; both the cherubim were of the same measure and the same form. 26 The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other cherub. 27 He placed the cherubim in the midst of the inner house, and (R)the wings of the cherubim were spread out, so that the wing of the one was touching the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub was touching the other wall. So their wings were touching each other in the center of the house. 28 He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.
29 Then he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, inner and outer sanctuaries. 30 He overlaid the floor of the house with gold, inner and outer sanctuaries.
31 For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood, the lintel and five-sided doorposts. 32 So he made two doors of olive wood, and he carved on them carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.
33 So also he made for the entrance of the nave four-sided doorposts of olive wood 34 and (S)two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of the one door turned on pivots, and the two [q]leaves of the other door turned on pivots. 35 He carved on it cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the engraved work. 36 (T)He built the inner court with three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams.
37 (U)In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. 38 In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.
Paul’s Stewardship
3 For this reason I, Paul, (A)the prisoner of (B)Christ Jesus (C)for the sake of you (D)Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the (E)stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; 3 (F)that (G)by revelation there was (H)made known to me (I)the mystery, (J)as I wrote before in brief. 4 [a]By referring to this, when you read you can understand (K)my insight [b]into the (L)mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy (M)apostles and prophets [c]in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are (N)fellow heirs and (O)fellow members of the body, and (P)fellow partakers of the promise in (Q)Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 (R)of which I was made a (S)minister, according to the gift of (T)God’s grace which was given to me (U)according to the working of His power. 8 To me, (V)the very least of all [d]saints, this grace was given, to (W)preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable (X)riches of Christ, 9 and to [e]bring to light what is the administration of the (Y)mystery which for ages has been (Z)hidden in God (AA)who created all things; 10 so that the manifold (AB)wisdom of God might now be (AC)made known through the church to the (AD)rulers and the authorities in (AE)the heavenly places. 11 This was in (AF)accordance with the [f]eternal purpose which He [g]carried out in (AG)Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and [h](AH)confident (AI)access through faith [i]in Him. 13 Therefore I ask [j]you not (AJ)to lose heart at my tribulations (AK)on your behalf, [k]for they are your glory.
14 For this reason I (AL)bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom [l]every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to (AM)the riches of His glory, to be (AN)strengthened with power through His Spirit in (AO)the inner man, 17 so that (AP)Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being (AQ)rooted and (AR)grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with (AS)all the [m]saints what is (AT)the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know (AU)the love of Christ which (AV)surpasses knowledge, that you may be (AW)filled up to all the (AX)fullness of God.
20 (AY)Now to Him who is (AZ)able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, (BA)according to the power that works within us, 21 (BB)to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations [n]forever and ever. Amen.
The Mountains of Israel to Be Blessed
36 “And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. 2 Thus says the Lord [a]God, “Because the enemy has spoken against you, ‘Aha!’ and, ‘The everlasting [b](A)heights have become our possession,’ 3 therefore prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “[c]For good reason they have made you (B)desolate and crushed you from every side, that you would become a possession of the rest of the nations and you have been taken up in the [d](C)talk and the whispering of the people.”’” 4 Therefore, O (D)mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the forsaken cities which have become a (E)prey and a derision to the rest of the nations which are round about, 5 therefore thus says the Lord God, “Surely in the fire of My (F)jealousy I have spoken against the (G)rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who [e]appropriated My land for themselves as a possession with wholehearted (H)joy and with scorn of soul, to drive it out for a prey.” 6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and in My wrath because you have (I)endured the insults of the nations.’ 7 Therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘I have [f]sworn that surely the nations which are around you will themselves endure their insults. 8 But you, O mountains of Israel, you will (J)put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel; for they will soon come. 9 For, behold, I am for you, and I will (K)turn to you, and you will be (L)cultivated and sown. 10 I will multiply men on you, (M)all the house of Israel, all of it; and the (N)cities will be inhabited and the waste places will be rebuilt. 11 I will multiply on you man and beast; and they will increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited as you were (O)formerly and will [g]treat you (P)better than at the first. Thus you will know that I am the Lord. 12 Yes, I will cause (Q)men—My people Israel—to walk on you and possess you, so that you will become their (R)inheritance and never again (S)bereave them of children.’
13 “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Because they say to you, “You are a (T)devourer of men and have bereaved your [h]nation of children,” 14 therefore you will no longer devour men and no longer bereave your nation of children,’ declares the Lord God. 15 “I will not let you hear (U)insults from the nations anymore, nor will you bear (V)disgrace from the peoples any longer, nor will you cause your nation to (W)stumble any longer,” declares the Lord God.’”
16 Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, 17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they (X)defiled it by their ways and their deeds; their way before Me was like (Y)the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. 18 Therefore I (Z)poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols. 19 Also I (AA)scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the lands. (AB)According to their ways and their deeds I judged them. 20 When they came to the nations where they went, they (AC)profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the (AD)people of the Lord; yet they have come out of His land.’ 21 But I had [i]concern for My (AE)holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
Israel to Be Renewed for His Name’s Sake
22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “It is (AF)not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23 I will (AG)vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the (AH)nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. 24 For I will (AI)take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will (AJ)sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your (AK)filthiness and from all your (AL)idols. 26 Moreover, I will give you a (AM)new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the (AN)heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will (AO)put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28 You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be (AP)My people, and I will be your God. 29 Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I (AQ)will not [j]bring a famine on you. 30 I will (AR)multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will (AS)remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 I am not doing this (AT)for your sake,” declares the Lord God, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel!”
33 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the (AU)cities to be inhabited, and the (AV)waste places will be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. 35 They will say, ‘This desolate land has become like the (AW)garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’ 36 Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken and (AX)will do it.”
37 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “This also I will let the house of Israel ask Me to do for them: I will increase their men like a flock. 38 Like the (AY)flock [k]for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with (AZ)flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”’”
A Psalm of Supplication and Trust.
A Prayer of David.
86 (A)Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me;
For I am (B)afflicted and needy.
2 (C)Preserve my [a]soul, for I am a (D)godly man;
O You my God, save Your servant who (E)trusts in You.
3 Be (F)gracious to me, O Lord,
For (G)to You I cry all day long.
4 Make glad the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, (H)I lift up my soul.
5 For You, Lord, are (I)good, and (J)ready to forgive,
And (K)abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.
6 (L)Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
And give heed to the voice of my supplications!
7 In (M)the day of my trouble I shall call upon You,
For (N)You will answer me.
8 There is (O)no one like You among the gods, O Lord,
Nor are there any works (P)like Yours.
9 (Q)All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And they shall glorify Your name.
10 For You are (R)great and (S)do [b]wondrous deeds;
You alone (T)are God.
11 (U)Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
(V)Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will (W)give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And will glorify Your name forever.
13 For Your lovingkindness toward me is great,
And You have (X)delivered my soul from the [c]depths of [d]Sheol.
14 O God, arrogant men have (Y)risen up against me,
And [e]a band of violent men have sought my [f]life,
And they have not set You before them.
15 But You, O Lord, are a God (Z)merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and [g]truth.
16 (AA)Turn to me, and be gracious to me;
Oh (AB)grant Your strength to Your servant,
And save the (AC)son of Your handmaid.
17 (AD)Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may (AE)see it and be ashamed,
Because You, O Lord, (AF)have helped me and comforted me.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.